Positive Risk
Chapter One
The Crux Move
The Monster Within
My fingers are jammed into a tiny crack as I press
the edge of my climbing shoe against a sliver of
rock. This route is at the upper end of my skill
range; success here will take me to the next level
in my ability. I have been climbing strong today,
but now I'm approaching the most important and
difficult part of the climb. Navigate this overhang,
and I'll make it to the top. Misjudge it, and
the best I can hope for is to escape unscathed and
call it a day. I'm at the pivotal point of any climb,
known as the crux move.
I feel my right foot slipping. I shift my weight
to rebalance. What was I thinking, picking a route
this difficult? It's pointless to ask the mountain to
be easier; I must become a better climber. Still,
this space between comfort and challenge is hard.
I stop, take some deep breaths, and assess my
situation. I'm two hundred feet above the ground
with the full weight of my body supported by a
quarter-inch of granite. The muscles in my calves
are starting to quiver. Elvis is alive, and h ... read full excerpt from Positive Risk: How Smart Women Use Passion to Break Through Their Fears ebook
